A top secret military space plane is scheduled to launch this week from the Space Coast.
The X-37B mini-shuttle is set to blast off Wednesday with some experiments to test new technologies for exploring space. The unmanned spacecraft was encapsulated and hoisted onto the Atlas V rocket earlier this month.
The U.S. Air Force keeps its overall mission a secret. But we’ve learned some of the experiments on board will test an electric propulsion system and determine how nearly 100 materials handle the harsh conditions of space. The rocket will also release some tiny satellites to conduct science experiments.
Some experts believes the X-37B is used to spy, while others suspect that it can defend American satellites in space from an attack.
Florida Tech Professor Dr. Richard Ford says it’s key to have a military asset that can ensure America’s place in the stars.
“We’re also going to start seeing more conflict potentially in space where you look at people trying to deny access to that fifth domain, and so having the ability to conduct missions and be maneuverable is very important,” Ford said.
The last mission for the X-37B totaled 674 days in space. This mission is expected to also last hundreds of days orbiting Earth.
The X-37B has spent a combined 1,367 days in orbit during its three previous missions. It launches vertically and lands horizontally.
Plans are to eventually land the spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center, where it is now processed.
Wednesday’s launch window is from 10:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.